And, a colleague and I decided to take in a bay view and down some fresh seafood at the market's gloriously divy and resolutely charming Athenian Inn. There, we admired the landmark's list of classic cocktails...

...but with more work ahead, we opted for Iced Teas. That said, there was no such holding back when it came to ordering lunch.

Freshly shucked oysters, plump and briny were downed as quickly as they landed on our table.

Then, the main course arrived: Dungeness Crab Legs, succulent and sweet. Every morsel brought a moan of pleasure.

By the time we made "all gone," we were ready to pass out cold. A nap was out of the question though. Mounds of business awaited.

Looked like we'd need a quick pick-me-up in order to make it through the day. And, where do Seattle residents go for said-pick-me-up? Where could we turn?

September 23, 2006

What better way for The Vamp to ring in year 5767 than to partake in vittles? And why stop at just one stop for said New Year's vittles, when New York City has so many culinary treasures to offer? Well, I figured for my figure's sake I ought to narrow the field down a bit. So last night, in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, I joined a good friend for a wee tour of Danny Meyer's wee Madison Park empire.

First stop - Eleven Madison Park, where I sat in the restaurant's swank bar, bathed in light reflected off of the lounge area's gold ceiling - a hue that casts a warm, kind glow on yours truly. The Sidecar variation I sipped - spiked with passionfruit nectar - brought on a very different kind of glow. The kind that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, and thrusts you outside rather quickly, before you order another one of these addictive cocktails - and another - and another.

Next stop - Shake Shack (pictured above). I know it seems like an odd follow-up to Eleven's grandeur, but to tell you the truth, I had never been there before. (Bad Vamp!!!) What can I say? I have no patience for lines. And, miraculously enough, there wasn't a line in sight when I sashayed up last evening.

But what to order? We wanted something a bit more elegant than a burger for dinner....Hmm...I settled on a Coffee Milkshake, took two sips of the aforementioned thick, sweet treat (OK, three sips!) and tossed it in the garbage.

Sacrilege?

Perhaps. But, I had one more Madison Park Danny Meyer's stop to make before my evening was complete.

Final stop - Tabla - Bread Bar at Tabla to be exact. There, I bantered with the exquisitely hysterical maitre 'd and took great pleasure in sharing a bottle of Sancerre, along with several sundry Indian delights, including Rosemary Naan, a Chutney Sampler and Goan Coconut Beans.

Mmmm....

What a nice way to jumpstart a New Year.

And it's no wonder. After all, Danny Meyer is a member of the tribe. So, Shana Tovah to Danny.

September 21, 2006

And so the Atlantic Antic continued, with pork in many permutations - from the whole roasted specimen above (named, Bertha) to the pulled variety doused in BBQ sauce - a throng of humanity, more beer, ethnic entertainments, ethnic eats, and simple but transcendent church fare.

September 16, 2006

I didn't make it to the soda pop emporium in LA. Nor did I pay call on a kickin' Mexican restaurant in the City of Angels.

No worries. I didn't starve.

My first night, in fact, I enjoyed a tasty Petit Filet Mignon near the Santa Monica Pier at Boa Steakhouse.

To counter-balance the glam factor, the second night I ended up having to scarf down a nasty Carl's Jr. burger.

My final LA evening I went glam again, this time hitting a new Italian hot spot called The Bridge for a business dinner. There, I was lucky enough to split a wildly decadent plate of Truffled Risotto with a colleague, while another business associate unburdened himself, revealing his addiction to The Food Network. (We both agreed someone needs to BAM! Emeril out of his primetime slot.)

So, I might not have had exotic soda or miraclous Mexican, but darn if I wasn't full.

That said, none of my LA dinners claimed the coveted top spot when it came to meals during my trip.

Drumroll please...

That honor goes to a rather feh Greek Salad at a poolside lunch meeting at the W in Westwood.

And what could possibly turn the feh into the fabulous?

Keanu Reeves at a table across the way.

Question: Why is it no big deal when I spot a celebrity in New York? Yet, when I'm in Los Angeles, I'm simply tickled to see a star in my midst. If any of my readers have an opinion on my star-studded, bi-coastal quandry, feel free to share...

You can practically float on the sugary carbonation: Lined up on the shelves of Galco's Soda Pop Stop, in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is a veritable library of sodas and beers from around the world, from Brooklyn egg cream to Brazilian guarana soda to Indian Malta. It's one part soda museum, two parts sugar boutique."

September 09, 2006

Today, exotica came in the form of lunch - in Chinatown. I meandered down Baxter Street in search of a spot for Vietnamese fare and ended up meandering into a Vietnamese restaurant called, oddly enough, Thai Son.

My order of Bun Cha Gio Thit Nuong (pictured above) - Grilled Pork and Spring Rolls with Lettuce on Rice Vermicelli, served with Asian Fish Sauce - was lovely. It was even lovelier with the added jolt of sugary, creamy caffeine from a tall glass of Iced Vietnamese Coffee with Sweetened Condensed Milk.

September 05, 2006

I woke up today and realized that I had gone through the entire summer without attending a barbecue. The situation needed to be remedied.

Thanks goodness for my pal Grant - and the Omaha Steaks filet mignons in my freezer. A Labor Day barbecue was born. He fired up his backyard grill, slapped on the meat, threw on a bunch of bright green asparagus and we called it dinner.